Get into the Halloween Spirit by Supporting Children
Thinking about ghosts, goblins and vampires? Consider buying your little – and big – monsters’ costumes at Spirit Halloween, the country’s largest seasonal Halloween retailer. The nine area stores are collecting monetary donations for Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Last year, the company collected donations from several area stores and gave a $10,000 donation to the hospital’s Child Life program. With more locations added this year, the retailer hopes to triple that donation.
The Child Life program provides children and teenagers with support during their stay at Golisano Children’s Hospital, in the outpatient clinics, Emergency Department, Surgical Suite and inpatient units. The service supports the child’s emotional and developmental needs through offering age appropriate play opportunities for understanding and coping with their medical experience. For example, to prepare a child for a surgery, a specialist will let them play with a cloth doll and show them where the surgery will be and then the child has the doll to keep throughout their stay in the hospital. The Child Life staff is invaluable to the comfort of patients and families and to allowing children to feel like children during their hospital stay.
At 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, Spirit Halloween will hold an event at the hospital to treat the pediatric patients to a very special early holiday celebration. Media are invited to meet a hospital representative in the main Strong lobby to see the spirit of Halloween come alive at Golisano Children’s Hospital with the help of Spirit Halloween.
“We are so grateful to Spirit Halloween for making this holiday such a memorable and fun one for patients,” said Wendy Lane, director of Child Life at Golisano Children’s Hospital. “Not only do they help us make Halloween extra special for children in the hospital, they enhance our program throughout the year with a generous donation.”
For Spirit Halloween locations, visit www.spirithalloween.com.